Haunting Past
by crazylass
Summary: A young noble girl loses her father by murder and odd circumstances surrounded her birth, will she ever find out who killed her father? And why?
1. Dear Ones

** A/N: I have posted this story before but I took it down to do some editing. This is my first story I have posted here, even if I did take it down. I started writing it about a year ago. Any help or comments would be appreciated. Thank you very much.  
**

** Haunting Past**

Chapter One: Dear Ones

_Her cloak flowed around her as she raised her head to look at her former childhood home with a sad mournful smile. The walls seemed to be heaving, threatening to collapse at any moment. The roof was already gone and tattered, windows knocked in but yet it held a beauty that it always held to this woman. This once hauntingly beautiful home now was all that was left for her. She walked to the column and heaved a sigh as she brushed her hand on it and could quietly be heard saying, "Why did you leave me?" as she broke into sobs on the porch she once played on. _

10 years ago

"AAAAH!" screamed Sarah as her friend Maryanne tickled her. Maryanne fell down to the ground with a playful glint in her eye. Sarah cocked her head at her red-headed, green eyed, pale best friend. She knew that glint could only mean one thing- Maryanne was up to something! She smirked and quickly tickled Maryanne before she could get up. She knew that she had to get Maryanne before she could do whatever she had in mind. She quickly took off in a run as Maryanne tried to get her breath back from laughing so hard.

"Sarah! I'm going to get you for that!" yelled Maryanne as Sarah rushed off with her red cloak flowing behind her as she ran from Maryanne to escape her.

Sarah heard footsteps behind her, thinking it was Maryanne, she whirled around and shouted playfully, "You'll never catch me!" and ran off laughing like a madwoman. Sarah ran faster as she heard heavy footsteps behind her. She realized they were too heavy to be that of her 15 year old friend. They sounded more like an adult's. Now quickly becoming panicky, Sarah ran even faster as the footsteps got louder. Sarah screamed as suddenly a cold white gloved hand grabbed her sharply and twirled her around to face the owner of the hand.

Sarah was quite shocked to see that it was the Irish housemaid, Katie McReiter. Katie looked at Sarah with a bit of anger in her face. Sarah looked down, embarrassed that she had run away from Katie. Then suddenly Sarah looked back at the red headed hair, hazel eyes, tan girl, wondering why she was there at all.

Katie looked at Sarah watching as the emotions of confusion streaked across the brown headed, white skinned, blue eyed girl. Confusion was flying in her own mind as well. _How can I tell this hopeful bright child something so tragic? She only lost her mother a year ago. To lose another so soon…_

Sarah looked at Katie and into her hazel eyes that showed a state of great sadness. She knew that something must be wrong, very wrong. Katie never interrupted Maryanne and her play unless it was something serious. The last time she had interrupted their play was when her mother was dying from pneumonia…_dying…No! It couldn't be…Please no…_

Sarah looked abruptly at Katie's face and hoped that what she was thinking wasn't possible…_My father dead? Is she taking me back to the house because something happened to father?_

Katie watched as a state of panic was taking hold on Sarah's face. Katie took a deep breath and looked Sarah squarely in the eyes, "I'm afraid your father is dead."

Sarah's eyes now looked anxious and started dragging Katie behind her as she ran towards the house. Katie stopped Sarah quickly. She twirled her towards her and held her firmly by the shoulders. Katie looked at Sarah hard with her piercing hazel eyes boring into Sarah's radiant blue ones and scolded Sarah sharply, "Sarah, you must slow down! This running is not going to solve..."

Sarah didn't even hear Katie's words. Sarah shook herself loose of Katie's grip and ran as fast as she had ever run in her life. Even faster than when Katie had told her about her mother dying or when her father had been ill. _It couldn't be true… could it? _

Sharp blue tears blurred Sarah's face as she ran towards the blue radiant mansion that filled her with fear as she approached it. But she shook it off and ran inside to the den. She fell onto her knees and cried out when she saw the sight in front of her.

Her brilliant father lay dead on the green carpet. A single hole in his head. Sarah brushed back the brown hair in her father's face as she crept forward and looked into his dull hazel eyes. Once they had been sparkling with joy but now dull without a hint of life. His face felt cold as she ran her fingers over his soft dimples and touched his pointy nose. She felt sobs overtake her as she looked down at her father lying indignantly. He was a man of a high stature and everyone loved him. _Who would kill him? And why him!_ _Why the only person who was left for me? Why my father?_

He had donated to the local shelters, stood up for the locals and pleased everyone who lived in this small town. He was a well respected nobleman in this town. Why would someone kill him? He had done nothing to deserve it. Sarah felt anger building as she saw her father becoming more cold and lifeless as the moments passed by. She yelled out in a rage and was about to storm out of the room, away from her father when a glint caught her eye.

In her father's hand there was a small golden heart necklace. She kneeled down besides his hand and gently removed it from his hand. She held it close and then looked at it. She saw the little screw that kept it shut was gone. So she pried it open and gasped at what was inside of it.

Inside was a shining smiled bright eyed woman who was her mother but in her arms were TWO babies. _Who is that? Why wasn't I told..? Why was my father holding this when he died! Did someone kill him over what is in this locket! _

It was too much for Sarah. She crumpled over on her father's figure, stroking his chin gently and broke into sobs. She slowly succumbed to her body's will and fell asleep as gentle arms picked her up. The last thing she saw was Katie's caring stunning hazel eyes smiling at her and with that she fell asleep.


	2. Memories

**Memories**

**A/N: This is my first story that I've uploaded. So any tips or advice is appreciated. To answer a question of what time setting this is in…about the late 1800s, early 1900s. No specific year. Just a general place and sorry about not being clear about what time it is placed in! **

**Also it might be confusing but it starts out as Sarah's POV but switches over to Katie's POV for the rest of the chapter. The next chapter will be Sarah's POV as Katie leaves her.**

A knock at the door interrupted Sarah's thoughts. "Come in," yelled Sarah as she scrambled out of bed, turning on the lights as Katie entered the room. Sarah's head spun as her eyes fluttered open to a dark room. She realized she was in the comfort of her own bed. She cradled her knees to her body. She looked around, wondering how she got here… The last thing she recalled was… _crumpling over her father's body._ Tears filled her eyes as she recalled the events of the last few days. Her father was dead… What was there to live for now?

_The mystery of the locket…_a voice in her head whispered to her. Sarah looked suddenly down in her small white hand at the golden locket. She clung to it tightly as tears rolled down her cheeks. _Whoever is in that picture is my only family left…I must find them! I must find the mystery of this locket and maybe I will find why my father was killed…_

A knock at the door interrupted Sarah's thoughts. "Come in," yelled Sarah as she scrambled out of bed, turning on the lights as Katie entered the room.

Katie smiled sadly at the scrambling fourteen-year-old brown-headed beauty before her. She always was in a hurry once she was awake. Katie had been taking care of the girl since the day she was born to her mother... She knew the girl like the back of her hand. So much the girl had lost in her lifetime- her mother, her sister and her father. She did not know about her sister and Katie hoped she never would. It would just devastate the girl more. Her sister was taken away two days after she and Sarah were born. Katie never saw Sarah's sister again. She did not know why the sister disappeared, but Sarah's father told Katie never to tell Sarah of the sister. Never under any circumstances. Especially if he was murdered. Katie planned to uphold that vow with her life. It was the least she could do for the dead noble.

Katie sighed at the thought of the noble and smiled as Sarah scrambled about collecting her clothes for the day. Katie winced painfully as she saw very clearly traits of the noble in his daughter. Katie felt the memories break the wall she had tried to construct last night…

_The Noble was a kind and generous person. He had saved Katie from a cruel life as a slave when she was thirteen years old. Katie had been abducted from her homeland, Spain, when she was only eleven years old. First, the family that had abducted her treated her alright. They just had wanted a daughter to care for and live for but then the wife actually got pregnant with a child. _

_They did not want Katie anymore. Therefore, she was sold to an auctioneer. The family hardly looked Katie once the wife got pregnant. They had cared for her... until they got one of their own. That was a stab at Katie's heart. She had grown to love and care for that family, even if they had been the ones to abduct her._

_But the night Katie was to go with the auctioneer, the family told her that they never really had loved her. She was just a substitute. She would never be their flesh and blood. Katie had a hard time trusting anyone after that. She never thought she could love again. The family that had cared for her and watched her grow for four years of her life, was now abandoning her like she was a dirty old rag that had outlived its use. _

_The nights with the auctioneer were hard and rough. She slept on the ground most of the time while the auctioneer slept in a carriage or a motel. She had never known a life like this before. Her family in Spain had been a farming family. She was used to rough and hard work but she always got to sleep in a bed. Always. They had fed her and kept her safe. They had hummed lullabies to her. They had watched her grow for longer than anyone else she knew. She had recklessly passed up their love for this family, the very people who took her from her parents, and now they had stabbed her in the back. That is what made it harsh to sleep on the ground not the dirt ground or the hard cold words of the auctioneer._

_As the nights with the auctioneer went by... Katie grew cold hearted and missed her family more than ever. With the family that had abducted her, she hadn't missed her home as much because she was treated with love and care...at least until the baby came along. She realized now it was all a joke. A delusion that she had been happily living until her world was broken by their real flesh and blood. Then they revealed their true feelings about her. They had never cared for her. Just looking for a substitute until the real thing came along. She was just a form of amusement to them. _

_Now she just longed to go home. But she knew that was unlikely. She belonged to the auctioneer, Mr. Smith now. She had grown angry and troublesome as the weeks went by. She had no idea where the auctioneer was taking her, only that she would be sold somewhere. When they finally did get to the auction, Katie was branded like a cattle and thrown into a pen with other slaves and servants. She had never imagined this kind of horror. _

_When she was young, her father used to tell her about abductions of local children and had warned her never to stray far. The day she had been abducted- she had strayed only two miles away from her home. But it was far enough for the family that abducted her. She hated the family she had grown to care and love. She hated everything except her home. She remembered her parents' smiling faces now. She wondered how she could forget about them...how she could. She did not know._

_When the day of the auction finally came, they took Katie with only one guard. They trusted her more than the other slaves and servants. Mostly because she looked more normal and kept better care of herself than the other servants and slaves did. She also had been working to get on their good sides by helping them out when they needed. Offering her services to any guard who came by. It had paid off. There was only one guard to take her. She was happy about this. It was her chance to escape. And escape she did. _

_Katie had been taught in self-defense in case she would ever be ambushed or attacked. Local children were often abducted. It was not unusual. But it was saddening. So the children were taught to protect themselves at a very young age, since that is when it was more common for them to get abducted. Katie knew how to kick, knock a person out and even kill. She never had killed anyone and would only do that if it were necessary. _

_Katie managed to get away from the guard, kicking his feet away from underneath him. She had run into the nearby forest. She knew that if she were caught- they would not trust her and she would be severely punished. Katie had not noticed when she was escaping- that in the distance a young man was watching her. The young man had come to try and save some servants and slaves from the crueler fates out there. He would let them go once he bought them. He was not one to "own" other human beings. _

_The young man had chased after Katie and eventually restrained her from running away from him. Katie had thought he would return her to the auctioneers. She was wrong, very wrong. The man instead turned out to be Sarah's father. The man offered Katie a position on his staff. Katie of course had to accept. She had nowhere else to go. She knew this man could be dangerous but she soon learned that the noble and his wife were kind. His staff was as well. _

_She grew to love the noble and his wife. The noble and his wife considered everyone who worked for them family. The noble had no real family other than his wife and the people working on the farm. But he was quite happy with that. He helped many servants and slaves by buying them and then either letting them go or having them work for him. Many chose to work for him. So the family grew larger as the years passed by. Until the day, his wife got pregnant._

_Everyone had been quite happy. The air had been filled with electricity and love for the noble and his wife. Everyone knew they would be great parents. The noble and his wife had been trying for years to get pregnant, failing repeatedly. Part of being a noble- requires that you have at least one heir or child of either gender to pass on the bloodline. Preferably a boy but girls cannot be helped. The noble had been getting threatened by a distant cousin, that if he did not conceive a child within three years, he would take this to court. The cousin wanted to take over the estate very badly. He would be able to by law if the noble did not live up to part of his contract of having an heir. So imagine the joy of the noble that his wife would be able to have the heir. Plus the fact he really was a family man. The wife of course was quite happy. _

_The pregnancy was a rough one for the noble's wife. She spent many days in bed, not doing a thing under doctor's orders. Everyone was relieved when the noble's wife finally gave birth. But everyone was shocked when she had TWO babies. The saddening thing was, the second day, one of the babies was taken away. The noble did not do anything. He acted as if it were no big deal. But underneath that, everyone saw a great sadness in his eyes. A sadness that he carried to his death. _

_But after the baby disappeared, the noble's wife's health to steadily deteriorate for five years. She never was quite herself again. Always haunting the shadows, never saying a word unless she really needed something. Until one day when Sarah was five, the noble's wife died. She had been quite ill for a time. The doctors said she died from pneumonia but everyone knew she had been depressed since the baby disappeared and it was suspected she died from heartbreak not pneumonia. _

_Katie never knew the circumstances that revolved around the baby's disappearance but from the noble's wife's depression and the noble's sadness, she knew that it was not a normal abduction. They did not go searching as most nobles' families would if their child was kidnapped. They knew something. Perhaps that they would not find the child because maybe they had given her up themselves. The child was never given a name. Katie had found that odd. They had named Sarah but not her sister. They said they needed time to think of a name. No one doubted that because they had only expected one child after all. That was until... the unnamed baby disappeared from the estate._

_As the years went by, Katie had watched the noble grow happier over Katie's progress but there always seemed to be something missing, Sarah's sister. There was an empty feeling in the house and everyone knew it. Now that the noble was gone as well and the young teen, Sarah, was the only one remaining. Katie knew the estate would be given over to the distant cousin. Sarah could not legally inherit the estate until she was eighteen years old._

_A few days ago she had received a letter from the new noble. It had said:_

_**Dear Miss Katie McReiter, **_

_**I am assuming you are single. If you are being courted or you are married- please keep your affections to nightly affairs that are in the servant quarters, this goes for all other servants in the household as well. I will not have such disgrace in my home. **_

_**Now as you are the caretaker of my estate, you will make sure Sarah Katherine Lenard is sent to Greenlow Orphanage out of my sight by the time I shall arrive at my home. I will not have that girl in my home! She is of the former noble's reign. She will not cause chaos in my home. She may return when she is eighteen to take her rightful place if she can still claim the title. But she will not be allowed to step foot in my household until she is eighteen. Please see to it immediately that she is moved to Greenlow Orphanage. I have already made arrangements for her to have a bedroom there. They expect her as soon as possible. No delaying. They will receive a letter exactly the day you receive this letter. You have three days to get her prepared and AT Greenlow Orphanage or there shall be severe consequences. **_

_**There are to be no dillydallying in my home. Everyone must wear uniforms that I will hand out when I get there. Everyone will be expected to address me by my title. No one unless I tell them directly can address me as other. **_

_**Also my last direction is: No one is to be allowed on the premises until I get to my home. I hope this reaches you and that you follow them to the dot. I do not wish to have to punish my caretaker the first moment I get to my estate. You are after all, the example for all the others. Be sure to be rid of the girl and never look back. There will be no mention of her once I get to the household. Make this clear to everyone!**_

_**Sincerely,**_

_**Noble James Lynold Weissman **_

_Katie dreaded to tell Sarah this information and most of all she dreaded the noble herself. He did not sound like a kind man. _

Katie looked over at Sarah. The young fourteen-year-old curly brown headed, blue eyes, enthusiastic girl's life would be suddenly changed. Katie had already received information about the new noble coming to the grounds. She was lucky- she was still going to be able to work at the estate. But in her letter, as the nanny for Sarah, she had been told to deliver Sarah immediately to Greenlow Orphanage. Katie had known that it would be most likely the distant cousin would not care for Sarah. She had hoped the distant cousin would have some sympathy for the orphan girl. But her worst fears had turned out true- the cousin just cared for the noble's position, not Sarah. She also had a sneaking suspicion that the cousin wanted to ship Sarah off and make her disappear from the world. Probably hoping that no one would miss the brown-headed smiling daughter of the former noble. The cousin probably would make sure of this.

Most likely people would forget except for Maryanne of course. Katie smiled at this. The red headed girl was always following Sarah. She was a good girl but with Sarah's mischievous behavior, she got in trouble a lot. Katie shook her head and smiled at the thought.

Katie felt a cool wind across her face and looked down at Sarah. Katie realized she had been staring off at space and thinking this whole time. She blushed at that thought.

"KATIE! Are you alive?" yelled Sarah in Katie's face. Katie looked at the young girl and put her hands on her hips.

"Now Sarah Katherine Lenard! You should know it is not proper to yell at someone in their face!" scolded Katie.

"But Katie...it is not proper to drift off into space either..." Sarah shot back with a smug smile on her rosy face. Katie laughed and nodded.

"Now come along, little one. It is time for breakfast and then you must pack," said Katie as she shooed Sarah downstairs towards the dining room. Sarah pushed back at Katie and gave her a look that said _I am not a little one!_

Katie had to laugh at this. Sarah just stomped her feet and stayed glued to the spot. So Katie picked up Sarah who kicked and screamed in shock that Katie could still pick her up. Katie was a strong woman as she tended to the crops on the Lenards' farm. So she could still pick up Sarah. Sarah was very light though for her age. Only about ninety-five pounds. But she was also short for her age as well, five foot three inches.

Katie just took Sarah down to the dining hall. Sarah sat down in her usual spot sulking. Katie thought, _at least she is not crying over her father right now. She had more important things to know about- the orphanage._

Sarah looked up at Katie as she served her breakfast and asked, "Katie, why do I need to pack?"

Katie sighed. She had hoped that Sarah would not have noticed she had said that until after breakfast. But it was just as well. Katie sat down on Sarah's right side and held her hand as she begun to speak. "Sarah, as you know, an heir cannot take on the noble's position until they are eighteen years old. You being your father's only child," Katie grimaced at that, knowing she had told a lie but continued on, "and only fourteen years old, you cannot take the noble's position. So a far distant cousin of your father's side is the next in line until you are old enough to be a noble yourself. He has already taken control of the house. I was sent a letter and... He wants to send you to an orphanage. This is quite normal for the circumstances, Sarah. That you being an orphan and he doesn't have time to take care of you..."

Katie watched Sarah's face turn from one of anger to sadness and last of all shock. Katie knew that Sarah had expected to stay at her home. Or had at least hoped to. _I had hoped that new noble would let Sarah stay too..._ thought Katie. Katie shook her thoughts and smiled a sad smile at Sarah. Katie knew Sarah would not be hungry anymore, so she began to lead her back to her room.

Sarah pushed Katie away and ran to her room, slamming her door shut. Katie could hear sobs coming from Sarah's room but also shuffling noises. Katie smiled sadly at that. Sarah always did what she had to do; she never let her emotions stop her. Katie knew that Sarah might be crying but she would also be packing.

Katie knocked on Sarah's door and told her to be ready to go in an hour. Katie pulled out a box and packed a few gifts she would give to Sarah at the orphanage. She had no idea what Sarah would encounter but she knew it would not be fun. She was sad that Sarah would be having a hard life after her father had so desperately tried to give Sarah the world. Sarah would know nothing of that now. Katie doubted the fact that Sarah would even take her rightful position as the noble when she was eighteen. She knew from the new noble's letter, that his intentions were quite clear. _Get rid of the girl... and never look back._

Katie entered Sarah's room an hour later. Sarah's things were all in two boxes and one suitcase. Sarah never really wanted a lot. She was always happy with the bare necessities. There were a few things she really wanted and she got those. But her father loved to give her more than she asked for. Then Sarah would give these toys away to the local poor children. Her father knew that and gave her many toys knowing what she would do with them. Her father had taught her to care for everyone, no matter their social status or what they looked like. Sarah had learned well and always was kind, even though she was mischievous. She never did anything to intentionally harm anyone. Though occasionally her water balloons hit someone too hard or she playfully pinched someone and it hurt them. But she would always apologize. She was quite the energetic bunch and Katie would miss her severely. The last of the noble's family was leaving her and the new noble did not look like one who was easy on people. Quite the opposite.

Katie sighed and took Sarah's hand. The trip to the orphanage would only be about an hour. The orphanage was on the outskirts of the town and the town wasn't that big. The noble had taken to living in the country. So they were outside the outskirts of town but pretty near it.

Katie felt Sarah shifting back and forth and biting her upper lip. She only did that when she was nervous. Katie unconsciously stroked Sarah's hair and pulled her closer for a hug. Sarah calmed down considerably. Katie smiled down gently at the nervous girl. Katie knew things would be bad for the girl but she mustn't let Sarah know that. So Katie continued hugging and smiling down at the girl while waiting for the carriage to come. _Things had to turn out alright for Sarah... they will! They must..._ think Katie as she and Sarah climbed into the awaiting carriage.

With a simple crack of the whip, Katie watched Sarah turn around and watched as everything she knew disappeared from her sight.


	3. Frozen Heart

** Frozen Heart**

A young stubborn headed well built blonde haired man came plowing down the road staring daggers into every person that dared to even look at him. The way he walked show that he was of high social status or he just had a big ego. He considered every person that was on this road a savage. They were of all lower status and did not deserve his presence. They were in fact even lucky to be within twenty feet of him as he was the son of a parliament member. He was going to visit Greenlow Orphanage to pick out a new servant for his father's household.

He smirked. Those youngins had no idea how lucky they would be to serve in his father's household. Or that is what he thought. He treated servants very harshly. Just looking at him could get one get thirty lashes. Many servants at the Notte household had marks from his punishments. His punishments had turned sadistic of late. No one ever knew what he was planning for their punishment. Each punishment was unique. Even the lashings were different. Everyone feared him and stayed out of his way if they could.

His father was hardly in the household and his mother was a laidback person, which left him in charge of the house. Ever since he was young, he had been left to fend for himself. He had two younger sisters but they had quickly married and moved on. Even when they had lived in the house, they had taunted and ignored him. They eventually left. He didn't care much for them anyways. He was more of a solitary creature. But he never showed anyone kindness, not even his own parents. People knew Jonathan Raymond Notte was not a man to be trifled with. He took everything very seriously and punished for the slightest thing. He didn't care about you, only him.

Jon looked up at the shabby two story main building that was surrounded by a few smaller homes. The two story building was where the orphans stayed. The smaller houses surrounding the main house were a bit more elegant than the main house as they were the home of the supervisors and caretakers of the orphanage.

A young child of about eleven ran out to greet Jon. She curtsied before Jon and looked down at the ground while saying, "Welcome Mr. Notte to Greenlow Orphanage. I'm to be your escort," and with that the young girl fled into the building.

Jon just smiled at that. His reputation preceded him. The little girl hardly had met him but already knew to fear him. She would be an excellent servant. But Jon decided to explore Greenlow Orphanage first and terrify some children before taking his leave with his new servant.

But just as Jon began walking towards the entryway of the main house, a carriage abruptly pulled to a halt in front of him cutting off his pathway. He straightened himself out and furious; he began storming towards the driver of this carriage about his abrupt and rude manner. He would get a piece of his mind.

But as Jon rounded to the right side of the carriage, he stopped when he saw a young girl of about fourteen or fifteen stepping out of the carriage with an Irish looking woman. The young girl had brown hair, dazzling blue eyes and pale skin. She looked as she had been crying. The girl was staring at the dirt ground while clutching tightly to the Irish's woman's skirts. _How strange that a girl of what appears to be noble's status by her clothing…clutching a woman's skirts…? Especially such a pretty one… _

Jon dusted off his pants and dropped back behind the carriage, watching this odd scene play out before him. The driver of the carriage had pulled out two boxes and a suitcase and was following the young girl and the Irish woman towards the main house. The young girl seemed to be trembling of fear or sobs?

Jon just found this whole thing funny. What could possibly possess this fourteen year old girl to cry? Or to fear this building so much? It was just an orphanage. She was probably just going to watch over some kids. Jon shook his head at the young girl. He smiled and watched the antics continue on. He was quite amused by this.

Jon listened as the Irish woman stopped at the entryway and told the young girl clutching her skirts, "Sarah, you must let go of my skirts! I know this hard for you. But you must go in… The mistress is expecting you to check into your room. Don't you want to meet your fellow orphans?" said the Irish woman as she smiled kindly at the young girl… _Sarah I believe?_

The girl looked back at the Irish woman and said, "I do, Katie…" as she hugged the Irish woman tighter and began moving into the main house. _So she is an orphan? But by her clothes she is of a higher position? Oh right there was a noble that was killed a few weeks ago… Maybe I should change my mind about who I am going to pick for my new servant… This Sarah girl seems most interesting…plus she is quite pretty _thought Jon with a smirk as he walked over to where the girl and the Irish woman had just entered the main house and disappeared into the abyss of the entryway.

_(Switches to Sarah's POV) _

Sarah watched as the gates drew closer and closer. Tears began threatening to pour. She didn't want Katie to know she was on the verge of crying, so she turned her head to the window and began silently crying.

Things were changing way too fast for her. It had been just two weeks ago her father had died. This new noble had barely claimed his title and he had sent her away. To be banished from all she knew and to enter a completely different world. She felt a knot growing in her stomach.

She missed her home already and her best friend Maryanne. From what she gathered- her best friend wouldn't know she was gone until Katie returned to tell her later that evening. Maryanne had been comforting her the last few weeks. They were supposed to go into town today and buy some new dolls for Maryanne's little sister's birthday. Sarah had been planning on surprising Maryanne with a portrait of herself.

Maryanne had given her a year ago a portrait of herself. _In case we ever get separated_,_ you will have something to remember me by _Maryanne had told her. Sarah had thought Maryanne had been ridiculous at the time she had said that but now she was glad that Maryanne had given it to her anyways. She would need it in the following days as it would be the only memory of Maryanne she had left.

She traced the edges of her skirts and saw the big black gates that said in gold block lettering "**Greenlow Orphanage**".

Sarah turned her view away from the gates as the carriage turned into the dirt pathway that led to the main house. Sarah saw that Katie was sleeping. So she scooted closer and rested her head on Katie's muscled arm and looked up at Katie as she began to stir.

Katie's bright hazel eyes instantly became trained on Sarah's. Sarah met Katie's eyes with a great sadness and smiled a heartbreaking smile at her. Sarah's heart was breaking. Everything was being ripped from underneath her and she didn't know what to do. She took solace in every minute she had left with Katie.

Katie wrapped her arms around Sarah and drew her closer as the main house came into view. Sarah gasped. It was a hauntingly beautiful house once. There was no doubt in Sarah's mind it once belonged to someone of high stature. But it was becoming run down now.

The smaller houses surrounding the depressing once beautiful main house held certain elegance about them. Likely the caretakers and supervisors lived there. Sarah shifted her attention back to the main house that was to be her home for the next four years.

There were two floors. Each floor had a row of shutters and windows but in the middle of the second floor there was a magnificent balcony that extended out some ways to cover the entryway. No doubt that was the owner of the land's bedroom. Underneath that there was an arch that led to a giant brass door that was the entryway. The entryway that would condemn her soon to a life of hard work. Sarah shook that thought and looked at the grounds.

In the distance, Sarah could make out a farm. Most likely they grew their own food to save money. She could see the dirt pathway circled around to the main house's entrance and then went back past the small elegant houses to the farm. The area between the farm and houses was just dying grass.

Sarah turned her attention back to the balcony as some girls walked out onto it. The few girls began working hard; sweeping and dusting everything they saw on the balcony.

Sarah gasped at their state. Their hair was dirty, their clothes torn and dirt stains everywhere. Sarah knew they had to be the orphans there._ They must be doing their fair share like I will be doing_, thought Sarah.

Sarah knew she would probably be worked the hardest as she was the new girl. She had visited an orphanage once when she was eight as a punishment. Her father had jokingly told her if she didn't behave, she would end up in the orphanage. How ironic that she had ended up in one without doing anything wrong except being a noble's daughter.

Sarah was jolted from her ponderings as Katie shook her gently, pointing out the carriage had stopped and it was time to get out. Sarah felt terror gnawing at her as she looked up at the terrifying main house that seemed to be mocking her with its presence. Sarah looked up at Katie as the driver opened the door and held out his hand to help her down from the carriage.

Sarah was gently pushed to the door of the carriage by Katie. Sarah straightened her skirts and her hair before accepting the driver's hand and stepping out of the carriage. She tried to summon her courage but failed miserably. So that as soon as Katie hopped out of the carriage, she attached herself to her. Sarah knew she wasn't being proper but at the moment she didn't really care.

Sarah heard Katie say something along the lines of telling her to let go of her skirts. But Sarah was too petrified to let go as they approached the giant brass door. Sarah looked back at the carriage and saw the driver following them with her things. Sarah finally let go of Katie's skirts and accepted she was going to have to go into the building sometime.

So she straightened herself out again and held Katie's hand as they entered the dark entryway. She could hear Katie whispering comforting things in her ear but she didn't really care. Her heart was breaking and there was nothing Katie could do about it.

Sarah's jaw dropped when they entered the entrance hall. There were two stairways descending from the second floor, following the sides of the wall to form almost a complete circle. It used to be an elegant household alright.

Sarah was staring in awe as young blonde headed man entered from behind her and passed her by. He went to talk to an older woman who looked strict as her brow furrowed in concentration and her wrinkles became more prominent as she frowned. Sarah began wondering if the woman ever smiled. She didn't seem to be the type who did.

Sarah was jolted yet again from her thoughts as the woman approached her. Apparently Katie had snuck over to the woman and told her about Sarah while she was busy standing there and drifting off into space. Sarah blushed at that thought and looked up to greet the woman.

She curtsied as the woman met her gaze. She had a feeling that this woman was an important person to get along with if you were going to live here. Sarah was right about that.

The woman began to speak to Sarah, "You are Ms. Lenard, I assume?"

Sarah nodded at her. The woman motioned for Sarah to follow her to what look liked an office. It had a big brown desk in the middle of it made out of oak it looked like. The carpet was a stunning deep red accented by the rose colored walls. It seemed friendly which was shocking as the woman before her did not seem to match her office.

"I trust you can speak, Ms. Lenard?" asked the woman again.

"Yes ma'am." Sarah said quickly.

"Please sit down, Ms. Lenard, and I am glad to know you can speak," she said as she smiled gently at Sarah. Sarah was shocked. Maybe she had misjudged the woman after all. But the woman's face returned to her strict look again as she began to speak after Sarah was seated in a red plush chaise.

"There a few rules here. But the most important of all is that you respect the adults and do what you are told. Then you shall have no problems and the four years shall fly by with no problems. However if you do break the rules, you shall suffer dire consequences. Is that understood?" asked the woman as her brown bore into Sarah's blue ones.

Sarah meekly nodded that she understood and looked away from the woman's intent gaze. "Good. From what I know you used to be a noble's daughter which means you are used to finer things. Well don't expect that here. You are expected to do your fair share. You will get a list of assignments to do once you settle in. You will be given a day to unpack and get used to this place but that is it. That is generous, Ms. Lenard. Most orphanages make new arrivals work straight away," added the woman as she looked at Sarah hard making her know that this was the only favor that she would receive and not to make her regret it.

"Yes ma'am. I thank you for your generosity. I will make the best of it," said Sarah trying to sound as thankful as possible so the woman wouldn't think her a spoiled brat.

"Those are the rules I shall tell you for now. You will be informed tomorrow of the rest of them. But there are some other things I shall tell you now. People come here looking for servants to help them at their households. You shall be part of the selection which means it is quite possible you will be picked as you are newer and in a better state than other children here. It is a great honor to be selected. Since they are usually of high status and working for them gives you a step up from when you are released from the orphanage. If you are selected, you will be contracted to them until you are eighteen years old. Then you can either find another place to work or continue working for them. You cannot return to the orphanage once you are eighteen. The young blonde man in the entrance hall that you saw me talking to is the son of Michael Jay Notte, a parliament member. He is to be treated with respect. But the reason I told you about the servant thing is he is looking for a new servant at his household. He is interested in you being the new servant. So it would be best for you to act kind towards him and be on your best behavior. Is that understood, Ms. Lenard?"

"Yes quite clearly, ma'am," said Sarah in shock. _He wants ME? A noble's daughter who has no training in serving others at all! He should choose another orphanage girl. They would certainly be better at serving others than I would. But if I don't behave, maybe he will lose interest in me and pick another? Or it is quite possible that I might still be picked and just given lashings when we get to his estate. I think it is better I stay on his good side… who knows how he treats his servants?_

Sarah was gently shaken from her ponderings by the woman who had been talking to her and pushed out into the hallway towards Mr. Notte, the young blonde man she had seen earlier.

Sarah gathered her wits and stood up straight. She approached Mr. Notte and curtsied as soon as he turned his gaze on her. She smiled shyly at him and waited for him to speak but as he began to speak… shock flooded through her. She knew this man!


End file.
